Tree limb folding and tying apparatus

Abstract

A horizontal annular frame is provided for support immediately adjacent, but outwardly of, one side of a land vehicle with the frame mounted from a support adjustably vertically shiftable relative to the land vehicle. The frame is selectively openable to define a horizontal passageway thereinto to enable the frame to be horizontally advanced into position about a tree trunk below the branches thereof and the frame is closable after disposition about a tree trunk. When the frame is closed, it defines a circular track upon which a mount for a string canister is guidingly supported for powered movement about the track and inner peripheral portions of the frame include circumferentially spaced horizontal rollers for engaging and upwardly deflecting the limbs of a tree as the frame is elevated about the tree and the string canister is powered about the frame for spirally baling the tree limbs in their upwardly deflected positions.

What is claimed as new is as follows: 
     
       1. A tree limb folding apparatus including base means for support from an elevatable support, a generally annular horizontal frame mounted from said support for elevational shifting therewith and defining a central area therewithin in which to receive a lower trunk portion of a tree, said frame including at least two peripherally adjacent arcuate frame sections shiftable relative to each other and said support for movement between closed positions closing said annular frame and open positions with adjacent ends of said adjacent arcuate frame sections displaced apart and defining a passageway between said adjacent ends through which to receive the lower trunk portion of a tree into said central area of said annular frame upon horizontal advancement of said open frame toward said tree, said peripherally adjacent frame sections each including upper and lower sets of horizontal rollers, for engaging and folding tree limbs, supported from the corresponding frame section for guided shifting generally radially of the corresponding frame section between inward limit positions disposed about and defining said central area when said shiftable frame sections are in the closed positions thereof and outward limit positions spaced outward of said inward limit positions, each of said rollers being disposed generallY normal to the path of guided shifting thereof relative to the corresponding frame section, biasing means yieldingly biasing said rollers toward their inward limit positions, the upper and lower rollers of each arcuate frame section being alternately spaced thereabout with adjacent ends of peripherally adjacent rollers of each frame section being end overlapped when said peripherally adjacent rollers are in said inward limit positions thereof. 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said annular frame includes flexible tension member dispensing structure supported therefrom for guided and powered movement about said frame when said frame sections are in said closed positions. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said tension member dispensing structure includes a motor driven spur gear journalled from one of said frame sections, said frame sections including arcuate rack gear sections guidingly supported therefrom for movement about said frame and defining a substantially continuous ring gear when said frame sections are in the closed positions thereof, said spur gear being mesh engaged with said ring gear for driving said ring gear about said frame sections, a tension member canister mounted on one of said rack gear sections for movement about said frame with said rack gear sections. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 1 including force developing means operatively connected between said support and said shiftable frame sections for selectively shifting said shiftable frame sections between their open and closed positions. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said shiftable frame sections equal two in number and each frame section is generally 180° in angular extent. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said annular frame includes a first arcuate frame section of generally 180° in angular extent stationarily supported from said support and second and third arcuate frame sections each of generally 90° in angular extent having corresponding ends pivotally supported from the opposite ends of said first frame section. 
     
     
       7. A tree limb folding and tying apparatus including base means for support from an elevatable support, a generally annular horizontal frame mounted from said support for elevational shifting therewith and defining a central area therewithin in which to receive a lower trunk portion of a tree, said frame including at least two peripherally adjacent arcuate frame sections relatively shiftable to each other and said support for movement between closed positions defining a substantially closed generally annular frame and open positions with adjacent ends of said adjacent arcuate frame sections displaced apart and defining a passageway therebetween through which to receive the lower trunk portion of said tree into said central area of said annular frame, said adjacent arcuate frame sections each including means for engaging and upwardly deflecting limbs of a tree centered within said frame as said frame is elevated relative to said tree with said support, said annular frame including flexible tension member dispensing structure mounted thereon for guided powered movement about said frame when said frame sections are in said closed positions to dispense a flexible tension member around said tree for baling said tree. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said tension member dispensing structure includes a motor driven spur gear journalled from one of said frame sections, said frame sections including arcuate rack gear sections supported therefrom defining a substantially continuous ring gear when said frame sections are in the closed positions thereof, said spur gear being mesh engaged with said ring gear for driving said ring gear about said frame sections, a tension member canister mounted on one of said rack gear sections for movement about said frame with said rack gear sections. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 7 including force developing means operatively connected between said support and said shiftable frame sections for selectively shifting said shiftable frame sections between their open and closed positions. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said shiftable frame sections equal two in number and each frame section is generally 180° in angular extent. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said annular frame includes a first arcuate frame section of generally 180° in angular extent stationarily supported from said support and second and third arcuate frame sections each of generally 90° in angular extent having corresponding ends pivotally supported from the opposite ends of said first frame section. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus for spirally baling a tree with its limbs in upwardly deflected positions closely adjacent the trunk of the tree, said apparatus including horizontal generally annular collar means selectively openable to define a horizontal passageway thereinto so as to enable said collar means to be horizontally shifted into position about a tree trunk below the branches thereof and closable about said tree trunk whereby the collar means may fully encircle said trunk, said collar means including upper and lower sets of horizontal rollers, for engaging and folding tree limbs supported therefrom for guided shifting generally radially of said collar means between inwardly limit positions disposed about and defining a central area of said collar means and outward limit positions spaced outward of said inward positions, said collar means being mounted from an elevatable support, each of said rollers being disposed generally normal to the path of guided shifting thereof relative to said collar means, biasing means yieldingly biasing said rollers toward their inward limit positions, said collar means including flexible tension member dispensing structure supported therefrom for guided powered movement about said collar means when said collar means is in said closed position. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said upper and lower rollers of said collar means are alternately spaced thereabout with adjacent ends of peripherally adjacent rollers of said collar means being end overlapped when said peripherally adjacent rollers are in the inward limit positions thereof.